Dennis Decides to Discontinue Trek

I appreciate all of your good wishes and messages of support. I wanted to let you know that after careful deliberation, I have decided to discontinue my journey to the North Pole.

The current conditions here are such that it has been very challenging for any of the 2010 teams to reach the pole on foot. There are significant open water leads, thin ice conditions, southward drifting ice floes, and over the past two days cyclone rated winds. I, personally, had a certain window on the ice to complete the journey, and because of the weather delays we were significantly behind. I am physically and mentally exhausted by the preparation for this trip, and believe that undertaking this effort under these conditions for me would not be safe, and therefore discontinue the effort with a heavy heart. However, if I have learned anything it is that safety is paramount for survival in extreme environments such as this.

Doug Stoup has made the decision to face these unusual weather challenges and is still going try to reach the pole.. As a professional adventurer/guide the conditions this year to reach the pole are a personal challenge for Doug that he wants to see if he can meet.

Doug will be carrying the “torch” for the Trek for Peace, as he did the Olympic torch in Beijing.